Alaska Outdoors

Tree trunks that La Perouse Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve ran over in the 19th century. (Courtesy Photo/ Ned Rozell)

Visit to glacier begins with wildlife encounter

Many bears, fallingf blue ice and a first taste of peanut butter for a thumb-sized bird.

Tree trunks that La Perouse Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve ran over in the 19th century. (Courtesy Photo/ Ned Rozell)
Lisa Stengel of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, weighs a halibut on Monday, July 12, 2021, at Coal Point Seafoods in Homer, Alaska, that she caught with a pole spear while free diving in Kachemak Bay. If verified, the 71.4-pound halibut would be the International Underwater Spearfishing Association world record for a Pacific halibut caught be a woman using a pole spear. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Florida woman sets record for halibut caught with a pole spear.

Stengel speared big halibut while free diving in Kachemak Bay.

Lisa Stengel of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, weighs a halibut on Monday, July 12, 2021, at Coal Point Seafoods in Homer, Alaska, that she caught with a pole spear while free diving in Kachemak Bay. If verified, the 71.4-pound halibut would be the International Underwater Spearfishing Association world record for a Pacific halibut caught be a woman using a pole spear. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Colorful pinesap stems rise up, flower buds still pendant; the plant lacks chlorophyll and depends on other plants for nutrition. (Courtesy Photo / Kathy Hocker)

On the Trails: No problem finding at least 3 interesting things on this trip

The sights and sounds on the Boy Scout/Crow Point Trail.

Colorful pinesap stems rise up, flower buds still pendant; the plant lacks chlorophyll and depends on other plants for nutrition. (Courtesy Photo / Kathy Hocker)
Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell The crest of summer warmth is near in Alaska. Many locales in the Last Frontier have their temperature peak in July.

Alaska Science Forum: The peak of summer warmth is near

Alaska is about to make a left turn toward winter.

Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell The crest of summer warmth is near in Alaska. Many locales in the Last Frontier have their temperature peak in July.
Backpackers often want seclusion and peace, but with a trail comes company and the perception of too many people. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)

I Went to the Woods: Can 2 things be true?

I want people to get outside and be heathy. But not where I’m going.

Backpackers often want seclusion and peace, but with a trail comes company and the perception of too many people. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)
Cooley’s buttercup is one of the early flowers to bloom on Mount Roberts. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: Summer comes in Juneau

What a difference those 10 days made!

Cooley’s buttercup is one of the early flowers to bloom on Mount Roberts. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)
This photo shows wild flowers at Eagle Beach. (Courtesy Photo / Kenneth Gill, gillfoto)

Wild Shots: Photos of Mother Nature in Alaska

Reader-submitted photos of Southeast Alaska.

This photo shows wild flowers at Eagle Beach. (Courtesy Photo / Kenneth Gill, gillfoto)
This photo shows a musk ox in summer 2021 at UAF’s Robert White Large Animal Research Station in Fairbanks. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: The muskox’s odyssey from Greenland to Alaska

Have you herd?

This photo shows a musk ox in summer 2021 at UAF’s Robert White Large Animal Research Station in Fairbanks. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)
This photo shows the sunset from Garnet Ledge, in Alaska. (Courtesy Photo / Mary Catharine Martin)

SalmonState: A trip on the Stikine

By Mary Catharine Martin Each year, my partner, Bjorn, and I take a river trip. Parenthood (we have a 2-year-old and a 5-month-old) has also… Continue reading

This photo shows the sunset from Garnet Ledge, in Alaska. (Courtesy Photo / Mary Catharine Martin)
A bear cub perches high in a cottonwood tree.(Courtesy Photo / Kerry Howard)

On the Trails: Seeing bears and woodpeckers in the trees

Furry bears, hairy woodpeckers.

A bear cub perches high in a cottonwood tree.(Courtesy Photo / Kerry Howard)
Courtesy Photo / Ben Gaglioti A “ghost forest” exposed as La Perouse Glacier in Southeast Alaska retreated. In the past, the glacier ran over the rainforest trees. Two people are also in the photo.

Alaska Science Forum: A trip to a ghost forest of Southeast Alaska

“I am excited to see this wild country.”

Courtesy Photo / Ben Gaglioti A “ghost forest” exposed as La Perouse Glacier in Southeast Alaska retreated. In the past, the glacier ran over the rainforest trees. Two people are also in the photo.
Artist and UAF professor emeritus Kes Woodward in a stand of exotic trees on the Fairbanks campus. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: Visit to an exotic tree plantation in Alaska

The two-acre exotic tree plantation is part of a much-larger “boreal arboretum” on the UAF campus.

Artist and UAF professor emeritus Kes Woodward in a stand of exotic trees on the Fairbanks campus. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)
I have flies with barbell eyes, jig heads, cone heads, bead heads and no heads. I have flies with stinger hooks that trail and long-shanked salmon hooks that don’t. I have red, pink, salmon, fuchsia, cerise, purple, orange, flesh, green, olive, chartreuse, white and black flies made of feathers, chenille, hackle, marabou, flashabou and silicone. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)

I Went to the Woods: One good fish

Three is the magic number.

I have flies with barbell eyes, jig heads, cone heads, bead heads and no heads. I have flies with stinger hooks that trail and long-shanked salmon hooks that don’t. I have red, pink, salmon, fuchsia, cerise, purple, orange, flesh, green, olive, chartreuse, white and black flies made of feathers, chenille, hackle, marabou, flashabou and silicone. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)
A male western tanager’s red color comes by a different pathway than the yellow, although both are carotenoid pigments. (Courtesy Photo / Kerry Howard)

On the Trails: On tanagers and silverweed

We live near the northern limit of the western tanager range.

A male western tanager’s red color comes by a different pathway than the yellow, although both are carotenoid pigments. (Courtesy Photo / Kerry Howard)
ason Clark, at left, a postdoctoral researcher at UAF, and Nicholas Hasson, a UAF graduate student, examine a sinkhole known as a thermokarst in a Fairbanks homeowner’s backyard. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: The sinking feeling over much of Alaska

A ‘hole’ lot going on.

ason Clark, at left, a postdoctoral researcher at UAF, and Nicholas Hasson, a UAF graduate student, examine a sinkhole known as a thermokarst in a Fairbanks homeowner’s backyard. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)
The antenna of an Argos satellite tag extends past the tail feathers of a female American robin as she feeds a worm to her hungry nestlings on a front porch in Cheverly, Md., Sunday, May 9, 2021. A new antenna on the International Space Station and receptors on the Argos satellite, combined with the shrinking size of tracking chips and batteries, are allowing scientists to remotely monitor small animal and songbird movements in much greater detail than ever before. (AP Photo / Carolyn Kaster)

Scientists hail golden age to trace bird migration with tech

Robins fly more than 2,780 miles between their breeding area in Alaska and winter grounds in Texas.

The antenna of an Argos satellite tag extends past the tail feathers of a female American robin as she feeds a worm to her hungry nestlings on a front porch in Cheverly, Md., Sunday, May 9, 2021. A new antenna on the International Space Station and receptors on the Argos satellite, combined with the shrinking size of tracking chips and batteries, are allowing scientists to remotely monitor small animal and songbird movements in much greater detail than ever before. (AP Photo / Carolyn Kaster)
An Alaska Earthquake Center map of all the earthquakes that happened in the year 2020, including the epicenter of a magnitude 6.1 earthquake that happened May 30, 2021. (Courtesy Image / Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: Alaska earthquake stirs many

The beat goes on.

An Alaska Earthquake Center map of all the earthquakes that happened in the year 2020, including the epicenter of a magnitude 6.1 earthquake that happened May 30, 2021. (Courtesy Image / Ned Rozell)
The author cooks steak over a beach fire over the Memorial Day weekend. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)

I Went to the Woods: Finding success on its terms

Any weekend adventure typically has a few objectives with varying levels of enthusiasm.

The author cooks steak over a beach fire over the Memorial Day weekend. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)
An adult male American redstart is brightly attired with contrasting black and orange (Courtesy Photo /Mark Schwann)

On the Trails: Hither and yon in late May

Daily walks seldom lead to disappointment.

An adult male American redstart is brightly attired with contrasting black and orange (Courtesy Photo /Mark Schwann)
A northern waterthrush sings. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: Larcenous lichens and some short stories

That’s not moss…

A northern waterthrush sings. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)